Let me draw your attention to this procurement notice by the Equality and Human Rights Commission published last week. It is for a relatively small amount of money, (£25-£50k) for the task of supporting EHRC to establish a review of Scottish Public Sector Equalities Duties Codes. Behind the Kafkaesque terminology, it is basically a piece of work to ensure that the Scottish Public Sector knows where the law on Equality is different between England and Scotland. So, the English taxpayer has to stump up the money to have a special working group to provide guidance on a panoply of new laws which weren’t needed in the first place.
And guess where the working group is meeting? Manchester. Oh the irony.
I try to be confident that we can easily cut public sector waste, but so much waste has been written into legislation that is hard to see how it can be tackled quickly.
I would suggest that in future the Office of Budget Responsibility require that every piece of legislation be given an approximate 20-year costing forecast before it can be passed...
ReplyDeleteDidn't you do some media training for NHS staff recently?
ReplyDeleteIain,
ReplyDeleteWhy is it that the urge to acquire an AK74 and a number of RPG's
grows, as one sees more of this embedded waste in our country, and the desire to commit wholesale destruction on an idiot government and system.
Am i alone with this syndrome?
Word verification augh w.
So appropiate.
I'll take them in order:
ReplyDelete1 "the English taxpayer" - wrong, the British taxpayer, as that's who funds EHRC. And for the avoidance of doubt, that includes Scottish taxpayers like me. Who fund a "panoply" of English based activities.
2 "guidance on a panoply of new laws which weren’t needed in the first place." I'm incredibly pleased you have never been discriminated against by a public body. Back here on planet Earth however, it happens all the time and nothing was going to be done voluntarily.
3 What is ironic about a UK working group being based in a UK city. Or are you assuming independence for Scotland has already happened, along with the rest of your nonsense?
Perhaps the working group is based outwith Scotland to ensure there is no perception of internal (ie Scottish) bias or conflict of interest.
Why can't the Scottish Government pay, if as you say it is to their "benefit"?
ReplyDeleteI think £50K is understating the likely outcome. Reading the piece, they're after some legal and policy advice - that sounds like a consultant with relevant expertise and possibly a law degree. Most smaller consultancies or one man bands would charge that out at at least £1000 a day (larger consultancies would probably double that) so £30,000 for the initial piece of work, and the cost of several trips from Manchester to Scotland or London - probably another £5,000.
You can be damn sure that the report is going to identify some overlooked but critical area of nuance and complexity with a recommendation that that area is further investigated - it may take a further 50 days but as follow on business the rate drops to £800 daily.....
"Another..." ???
ReplyDeleteWhat was the previous one - maybe I missed it...?
Which is why so many tell you and the Tories that the keystone holding up this arch of waste mortared with Fabians is full membership of the EU.
ReplyDeleteYou can repeal all you want, but the laws will just spring back until you do this.
p.s. Wish that mortar were true and not just metaphorical...I'd build a bloody tower to the sky otherwise....
Why should the law on equality be different in Scotland and England?
ReplyDeleteAnd if it is, then surely it is the duty of the Scottish Executive (oops they pretend to be a government now don't they) to tell their own public sector what those differences are since we must presume that they have created the differences.
And if they do it themselves they can do it out of their block allocation and do it in Scotland.
If you can identify the bits of law that you mention then suggest them for inclusion in the Freedom Bill/Great Repeal Bill.
ReplyDeleteLets say the multiplier is set at 20.
ReplyDeleteIf you waste 50K, we multiply the 50K by 20, making a round million.
Next budget, you get a cut of a million
Simples
@IainMonty "I'm incredibly pleased you have never been discriminated against by a public body."
ReplyDeleteProbably because I don't have an English Parliament or Government. That's the real discrimination in this "united" kingdom.
Gallimaufry
ReplyDeleteIf you think having to make do wth the English and London-centric Westminster parliament and Government is a serious form of discrimination, then you truly have led a sheltered life.
Why does the Scottish public sector need to know what the equality laws are in England? They only operate in Scotland!
ReplyDeleteThis kind of nonsense wouldn't happen if Westmonster would leave Scotland alone to manage its own affairs without interference.
ReplyDeleteIainMonty
ReplyDeleteWe've only recently thrown off 13 years of the incompetent Scottish Raj. Freedom!